"NOT a single tear will be shed tonight in Scotland", Stephen Flynn has said, after Boris Johnson announced he was resigning as a Tory MP.
It comes after the Privileges Committee found the former prime minister misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Number 10 and recommended a suspension of more than 10 days.
Johnson later announced on Friday evening that he was standing down as the Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, triggering an immediate by-election.
Reacting to the news, SNP Westminster group leader Flynn said: "Not a single tear will be shed tonight in Scotland at this news.
Not a single tear will be shed tonight in Scotland at this news. And it serves as a stark reminder that we can easily rid ourselves of unelected Tory Governments, led by liars and charlatans like Boris Johnson, by voting for our independence. https://t.co/8nIXH8of1E
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) June 9, 2023
"And it serves as a stark reminder that we can easily rid ourselves of unelected Tory Governments, led by liars and charlatans like Boris Johnson, by voting for our independence."
Mhairi Black, the deputy Westminster group leader, made similar remarks.
"Boris Johnson has jumped before he was pushed, and no one in Scotland will be sorry to see the back of him but he has also underlined the weakness of Rishi Sunak, who has no authority over the bitterly divided Tory party," she said.
“Sunak has been utterly humiliated.
"On the day he was forced to accept Johnson’s dodgy honours list to shore up his position, his predecessor has stuck two fingers up at him and reminded everyone that Sunak was unable to take action for fear of a leadership challenge.
“This sordid Tory scandal is yet another reminder of how broken and corrupt the Westminster system is – and why it is essential that Scotland becomes an independent country, so we can escape Westminster control and get rid of unelected Tory governments for good.”
Other opposition politicians and Tory MPs reacted to the news of Johnson's resignation.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “The British public are sick to the back teeth of this never ending Tory soap opera played out at their expense.
“After 13 years of Conservative chaos, enough is enough.
“It’s time to turn the page with a fresh start for Britain with a Labour Government focused on the people’s priorities of tackling the cost of living crisis and building a better future.”
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy tweeted a scathing assessment of Boris Johnson after the former prime minister’s resignation, describing him as “self-serving”.
He tweeted: “Good riddance please to the most self-serving, venal, divisive and dishonest prime minister of my lifetime.
“You will forever be remembered as the prime minister who thought himself above the laws he created for everyone else.”
Elsewhere, MPs quickly began squabbling on social media after Johnson’s resignation, with one Conservative calling a Labour MP a “traitorous twerp”.
Christian Wakeford, who caused shock when he defected from Tory to Labour in 2022, tweeted “Goodbye @BorisJohnson I can’t say you’ll be missed much.”
He was met with a furious response from Tory MP for Workington, Mark Jenkinson, who replied: “You literally owe your seat to him you traitorous twerp.”
Labour MP for Hull East, Karl Turner, replied: “Stop crying Mark lad” before tweeting “Was going to watch @haveigotnews but I’m just going to stay tuned into the complete and utter collapse of @Conservatives.”
And, Tory MP for Morley and Outwood, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who was revealed on Friday to have been nominated for the honour by Johnson, has said she will not resign in the wake of the former prime minister’s resignation.
She tweeted: “To the journalists calling me tonight, just to clarify I am certainly not resigning.
“It's (sic) a great honour to serve my constituents & our great country. The unjust events & @BorisJohnson resignation tonight has made me more determined to stand up to the blob wherever they reside.”
Dame Priti Patel (pictured), who served under Johnson as home secretary and was nominated in the former prime minister’s long-awaited resignation honours list, tweeted a message of support for Johnson on Friday evening, describing him as “a political titan”.
She tweeted: “Boris Johnson has served our country and his constituency with distinction.
“He led [the] world in supporting Ukraine, got Brexit done, and was our most electorally successful prime minister since Margaret Thatcher.
“Boris is a political titan whose legacy will stand the test of time.”
